These are the best restaurants in Vancouver of 2019

Vancouver Magazine has been recognizing excellence in local dining for 30 years now, and for those who dine out in pursuit of the best of the best, the publication's annual Restaurant Awards are key.

Pulling up a seat a tables at Vancouver's hidden gems, buzziest newcomers, modest mom-and-pops, and splashy high-profile places, the 15 industry-expert judges spend meal after meal tasting the city. Full disclosure, I was honoured to have been part of the Restaurant Awards judging panel for the first time this year.

On Monday, April 29, the wait was over, and in a well-attended ceremony held at the Sheraton Wall Centre and hosted by CBC Vancouver personalities Anita Bathe and Lien Young, the winners were revealed, and all nominees were celebrated.

Photo courtesy DownLow Chicken Shack

This year there were a few surprises, like Stem Japanese Eatery in Burnaby nabbing the Best New Restaurant (and Best Japanese). Powerhouse spots like Boulevard Seafood & Oyster Bar shone in multiple categories (Best Seafood, Best Dessert, Best Upscale). Off the radar places like Hey, Dumplings!, Mumbai Local, Chancho, and Moltaqa made their presence known. And it's still going to be pretty tough to get a reservation at St. Lawrence, and the line will keep being out the door for that hot chicken at the Downlow Chicken Shack.

Stepping into the limelight for some solo awards were Chef of the Year J.C. Poirier of St. Lawrence, Bartender of the Year Amber Bruce of The Keefer Bar, and Lifetime Achievement awardee Chef Leung Yiu Tong of Hoi Tong in Richmond - the latter who, at 81, finally agreed to retire this year and shutter his acclaimed Cantonese-style restaurant.

You can pick up the May/June 2019 issue of Vancouver Magazine to read all about the winners, runners-up, and spotlight honourees for this year, but we've got the full list of awardees right here for your quick perusal. Get ready to make your dining out plans for the next 365 days right now.

Photo courtesy St. Lawrence

Here are the 2019 winners of the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards:

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